Honolulu - Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced today that the city has installed live webcams to view real-time activity at all five of the city's DMV locations. Customers wishing to apply for State ID cards as well as complete other transactions are now able to "tune in" to the City's website and view live shots at any time of the day.

During a press conference this morning at the Dillingham Drivers Licensing location, Mayor Caldwell demonstrated how the public can access the webcams by logging into the City's website. The cameras may be viewed by going to http://www.honolulu.gov/ and clicking "DMV/State ID service line cameras,"or by going directly to http://www3.honolulu.gov/csddlline/

"The cameras will allow you to see how long the lines are before you leave your home or office - and give you the option of going to the location with the shortest line, waiting for a better time, or rushing over there now if you see the line is short," said Mayor Caldwell. "And they will also prevent and deter criminal activity. One thing to remember: the lines are usually the longest on Fridays and Mondays or after a holiday, and at lunchtime."

When the city took over the application process for state identification cards in January, some of the lines at the city's DMVs nearly tripled, making it challenging for customers wishing to complete other transactions. Additionally, new federal guidelines for obtaining State ID cards mandate documentation providing proof of legal name, date of birth, legal presence, social security number, and primary residence.

Since Caldwell took office, the DMV has also hired more staff to operate the counters and set up a "triage" desk to assist State ID applicants in checking their documents before advancing to the window. DMV staffers have noticed that this latest feature has made a significant impact on customer service.